Our business

Britannia Aggregates and Volker Dredging are two Brett joint venture companies concerned solely with the extraction of aggregates from the seabed.

 

Britannia Aggregates was formed in the late 1980s to relieve the increasing pressures being put on land resources, and ensure that there is a continuous supply of consistently high quality aggregates.

 

The Company owns and operates the 'A' class dredger, 'Britannia Beaver'. Custom built in Devon, the Beaver became operational in 1992 and is capable of dredging to a depth of 45 metres, and working some 360 days a year.

 

The Beaver delivers sand and gravel to Brett-owned wharfs in the South East of England, and in addition, delivers to other customers outside the Brett Group both in England and other EC countries; markets the Company is actively developing.

 

Britannia Aggregates has extraction licences for extensive reserves in the Thames Estuary and, through Volker, has access to sand and gravel deposits in the North Sea and in the English Channel near to the Isle of Wight.

 

Both companies are continually prospecting for new reserves - it can take anything from five to eight years to obtain a new dredging licence. Echoing the environmental concerns which permeate the Brett Group, Britannia and Volker both rigorously observe all marine controls that monitor and regulate the effects dredging has on shorelines, fishing and marine life.

 

With regard to our management of safety, health and the environment, Britannia operates a safety and environmental management system (SEMS) which complies with the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the Company is in the latter stages
of achieving ISO14001 accreditation for the environmental aspect of the SEMS.

 

In 2006 and 2007, Britannia achieved gold awards on the RoSPA annual occupational safety awards giving a clear indication of the Company's commitment to maintaining high health and safety standards. As part of the drive to achieving ISO14001 accreditation, the Company has set a target to reduce fuel consumption of the Britannia Beaver by 10% with the purpose of reducing the Company's carbon footprint.

 

> Download Britannia Aggregates Safety, Health and Environment Policy here (PDF 58.5KB)